Sweet Children Come Out And Play

She was confused. But she could hear something. It sounded like music. Someone had a guitar. She knew the song. Which one was it again? Just have to think of the name. There it was again, “I can’t see her, but in the distance I hear some laughter. We laugh together…cus she’s 2000 light years away.” She could here the broken parts. That was a song Billie wrote. She remembered because he wrote it about her. And just her. So who was singing? She could tell it was morning, or at least day through the closed lids of her eyes. ‘What the hell?’ She couldn’t move.

She finally managed to open her eyes wearily. “Delphine,” she heard her name being called; it seemed a long way off, far away in the distance. Her heart beat faster until she noticed it, and the first question that seems to come to all those who wake up after some injury in the movies popped into her head; ‘Where am I?’ It was all like making one’s way through a fog so thick you would have to cut it with a chainsaw. Then the haze began to clear and she found herself staring into a pair of very familiar speckled green eyes.

“Billie,” she mouthed. A hand, his hand, ran through her hair and kissed her lips gently.

“Delphine, you’re awake,” he smiled. A huge wave of relief washed over Billie Joe like nothing he had ever known before. For five freakin’ days he had wanted nothing more than this moment.

“Billie?”

“It’s going to be ok. We’re at the hospital.” It took all of his energy not to collapse.
As Delphine looked closer, she realized there were more faces peering at her from around the room. Curious nurses pacing around the bed and as quickly as they had come, were gone from view out the heavy hospital room door.

“How are you? Can I get anything?”

“I – I can feel my toes…” she wiggled them, “I think I’m ok.”

“Good - oh I’m so sorry.”

“What about?” she said hoarsely.

“Everything.”

“Billie, none of this is your fault.” She reached up a surprisingly steady hand and stroked the side of his cheek. He pressed one hand over hers. He did not have to say a word; the look in his face said all that needed to be known. All he could do was stare at her with her opened eyes. They were just as he had last seen them almost a week ago; a pale blue with a little gray like the natural sky or aquamarine crystals or her bleached out blue stripped hair when it needed to be re-dyed. Never had he been so happy to see them open and seeing, With another person, she might have felt self-conscious, but she stared straight back into his sea green eyes.

Billie could not seem to stop watching her. He’d spent so long finding this love, and had come so close to losing that one person. Now, seeing her alive and knowing that everything would work out, it made the life around him look surreal. How could she still be here? when minutes ago, he had held her dead body in his arms. ‘I don’t deserve it.’ He took her in his arms to hide his face as it broke down.

Finally, Billie spoke softly, “I should probably go tell the others.”

“Who’s here? Are there people waiting?”

“Yes, outside in the waiting room.”

“Oh no, who? They shouldn’t have. I’m fine.”

“Delphine, I think this was a bit more than breaking your arm or getting stitches. You scared the shit out of us.” He laughed a little; not that it was funny but for relief. “I’m just so happy you’re goanna be all right,” he actually sniffed.

“But – how long was I out?”

“Five days.” Billie shut his eyes.

“Really? Are you ok?” She focused closer and saw that he had a few scares on his arms and one on his neck.

“Oh, yeah,” he looked back at her with a comforting glance. “I’m fine.”

She touched his arm. “I don’t believe you, but ok.” Billie leaned over, kissed her lips gently and kissed her forehead.

“Really, I’m just tired and everyone has been calling and I just…Mike and Tre, and Brites and Richelle all helped. They told all the bastards.”

“Who’s here now?”

“I don’t know. I think everyone. Should I go get them?”

“In a minute.”

“Are you sure you’re all right?”

“I will be. Oh shit I almost forgot, the baby, how is the baby?” a pang of fear hit her face. Her heart gave a jump start that actually showed up on the monitor.

“The doctor said it was fine. It’s going to be ok.” Delphine sighed as worry drained back out of her eyes. Billie paused, “Does it hurt?”

“A little.”

“Can I get you tea?” She always liked tea.

“Tea would be nice.”

“Or should I get the whisky.”

Delphine laughed, “That would be nice too I admit, but I don’t think the doctors would approve.”

“Well, I need to feel useful so I’m getting you tea,” Billie jumped up.

“Ok.”

He ran over to the door, stopped and turned back around to the bed more slowly. Three fucking sleepless nights and just like that she was awake, and everything was going to turn out. She stared back smiling. He could tell she was not all herself. She was in pain but would not show him. But she was there and able to bare it. He smiled back and suddenly did not want to leave for fear he would come back and she was gone again or perhaps he was just imagining all of this.

“You ok?” she said sweetly.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” he paused and then ran back to the bed giving her another quick kiss. “What should I say to everyone?”

“They can come.”

“Ok,” and Billie Joe ran back out and down the hall.

A minute later, he burst through the waiting room door finding Brites, Mike and Tre all off guard. Their heads popped up all at the same time, along with everyone else’s in the room, while Billie almost shouted, “She’s awake!”

Relief fell over everyone’s face, in the form of a sigh, hanging their heads and a relieved “shit” under breath with Mike and Tre while Brites’ mouth dropped and she jumped out of her seat into Billie Joe’s arms. He almost fell backwards into a nurse. Even Cody was there and she jumped out of her seat and clapped with happiness like a little teeny girl. She might have only known them for a month or two, but Cody seemed just as relieved and excited as the rest of them.

“Come on!” Brites said excitedly, “Let’s go see her!”

“Ok, but I need some tea first! I’m supposed to bring her tea.”

“Who is awake?” the nurse asked puzzled.

“My wife, Delphine! Delphine Elizabeth Armstrong.”

“I’ll go tell the doctor…and I’ll get some tea.”

“Thanks,” and they all bounded off down the white-walled hallway; dodging carts and doctors along the way, almost knocking over a few in their hurry. Tre apologized to about five different nurses who he nearly flattened.
~
Billie appeared back in the doorway, “Del?” For a second, he feared he was wrong, and when he came in this time she would be gone. But no. No mistake. She looked up slowly and wearily; her eyes were pink. Billie ran over to her side. “Honey, are you ok?”
She smiled, “Yeah, I’m ok, I just…” Billie touched her hair comfortingly. Brites and Richelle walked slowly up to the bed.

“Hey,” Brites said quietly. Delphine lay back in the bed. Brites put a hand over hers. “I’m so glad you’re goanna be ok.” She tried to hold back, but tears began to well up in her eyes at the sight of her friend. Part of her saw how hurt Delphine was. Wires and tubes still connected to her, but another part could not believe she had not been worse. She almost lost Delphine and now to see her with such a bright hopeful look in her eyes; it did not make sense. If she was going to loose a person so dear, there had better be a damn good explanation and a few heads rolling.

“Does it hurt much?” Richelle asked a little nervously.

“A little. I’ve got a bandage around my middle here.” She lifted up a section of the thin blue dress to reveal a white cloth a foot wide wrapped around her chest and over her shoulder. Richelle cringed a little. Billie laid his hand over it gently; he had an angry look on his face. “It’s ok now.”

“How much do you remember?”

“Uhh, I’ve tried to remember. It was about up until we were in the ambulance, and then we got here in the hospital… and after that I lost it.”

Billie looked longingly at her, “Good… I don’t want to remember it.” Delphine reached out and ran her fingers through his black hair. It was comforting; to feel her touch again.
~
Delphine lay sound asleep in the bed inside her new hospital recovery room. Billie Joe sat in a chair next to her bed. He had said he would sleep because watching her made Delphine nervous, but now that she was asleep, he stared all he wanted. She looked so beautiful, as she always does when she sleeps, but last time her sleep could have meant her death. Now, everything was sorted out. Everything would be fine. How could that be?
Delphine stirred, letting her hand fall across her pillow next to her cheek. Billie wanted to reach out and take it but feared he might wake her. Before, he had been able to touch her and kiss her in her sleep. He tried every gentle thing he could do to wake her, but now she needed the sleep. He had hated waiting before; waiting for her fate, but now he almost wanted it. Not the fact that this was a matter of life and death, but he wanted to treasure her as if it were her last moments. She looked so beautiful now. Now he could take the time to notice how pretty she was asleep when she was pregnant.

The more Billie thought, the more he wished they were at home; away from the sick sterile white hospital and together in their wide soft bed. White, white, white everywhere. Now he understood why she wanted so many colors in their home. She had tried to explain the new rich and deep colors to his tasteless mind and at the time, it did not seem to matter. So what if the one wall was red in this room and sea blue in the other? And so what if the kitchen table was 50’s dinner style and the blender was bright pink? Well, now it mattered. Everything mattered and he wanted it back, yet to go home now would just be useless. The house would be empty and no one would be coming home soon. What use was it to go back when Delphine was lying in this bed?

So, Billie decided to stay with her as long as he wanted and was allowed. Besides, she was so beautiful. Why was she even with him anyway? He was so… well, a guy. Twisted but pretty. No, she was mistaken. She had said I love you so many times, and still he could not get it through his thick skull. And he had said I love you to her so many times, and he could never seem to get all the feeling out. What would happen when I love you was used so much that it did not mean anything anymore? They would have to find another way. What would that be? Or should they just leave that alone until they come to it? Then again, what did any of it matter? We’ll get there eventually, and it will just mean they love each other even more. Billie felt as confused as he had when he was thirteen. Then again, content. Everything was going to be fine.